Following the success of the inaugural Breakthrough Cider Maker Awards, entries are now open for 2022.
Breakthrough Cider Maker Award winner Kingsley Ash (right), of Thornborough Cider, with Barny Butterfield, of Sandford Orchards. Photograph: Sandford Orchards
The awards are free to enter and offer aspiring cider makers advice, guidance, and guaranteed listings within the on- and off-trade. The closing date for applications is 28th February.
Barny Butterfield, chief cidermaker at Sandford Orchards, said: “The Breakthrough Cider Maker Awards are nothing like any other cider competition. It’s the competition that I wish I could have won when I was starting out.
“Without a budget, without much help and support, it can be really daunting trying to get started in any career, let alone cider. The winners of these awards benefit from priceless help on the journey: mentoring, advice on strategy and branding, technical help with cider production, and guaranteed listing in both on- and off-trade. This is an award with the kind of bankable bonus that doesn’t grow on trees!”
The 2022 prize includes:
- business strategy mentoring with Barny Butterfied, founder of Sandford Orchards
- a retail listing at Darts Farm, Devon
- on-trade listing with one of The Stable restaurants
- £500 to spend with equipment and consumables supplier Vigo Ltd
- mentoring from Sandford cider makers
- A Sandford Orchards winner limited edition cider
- Moreover, everybody who enters will receive thorough, detailed, actionable feedback on their entry
Barny said: “The cider makers entering the Breakthrough Awards have their sights set on growing and improving all parts of their businesses, and to get more of their fantastic ciders into more hands.
“The BCMA is a slingshot prize to a cider maker that the judges feel has the kind of promise, purpose, and potential to go to the next level. We were overwhelmed by the high standard of entries last year and look forward to meeting even more dedicated fledgling producers this year.”
The winner of the inaugural awards was Thornborough Cider. Owner, Kingsley Ash, said: “Winning the Breakthrough Awards not only gave us validation and confirmation that we were doing the right thing, but also gave us access to a network of experts for advice, feedback, inspiration, and guidance.
“The prizes themselves have been great, with the Vigo voucher enabling us to up our output, which was lucky, as our orders increased significantly over the duration of the award. It has had a hugely positive impact on our business. Any cider makers with ambitions for growth should definitely apply.”
Celebrating quality cider
Barny added: “I am so proud that Sandford Orchards has been able to make these awards a reality. It feels great to be able to give something back to the industry that has given me so much.
“Bringing cider makers together is always brilliant for sharing ideas and dreaming up plans which we all hope will bring the joy of cider to more and more people.
“By supporting the energetic future of cider across the country we hope to reach out to curious wine, beer and spirit drinkers and grow the love for this marvelous drink.”
The Breakthrough Cider Maker Awards were launched by Sandford Orchards at the end of 2019 and aim to recognise and celebrate excellent quality whole juice ciders from around the UK. They are free to enter and open to cider makers producing between 3,000 and 15,000 litres of cider per year. Enter at sandford orchards.co.uk/cider-awards/
